Girish Karnad’s *Nagamandala* and *Hayavadana* are closely connected in their exploration of identity, incompleteness, folklore, myth, and the relationship between reality and imagination. Though they differ in plot and setting, both plays draw heavily upon Indian folk traditions and employ innovative dramatic techniques that blur the boundaries between myth, fantasy, and human experience. For this reason, *Nagamandala* can be regarded as a companion play to *Hayavadana*. One of the most significant similarities between the two plays is their use of Indian folk literature. *Hayavadana* is inspired by a tale from the *Kathasaritsagara*, retold by Thomas Mann, while *Nagamandala* is based on Kannada oral folktales narrated to Karnad by A.K. Ramanujan. Instead of merely reproducing these traditional stories, Karnad reshapes them to address modern psychological and social concerns. Folklore becomes a living medium through which contemporary issues such as gender, identity, and human relationships are explored. The theme of identity forms the central concern of both plays. In *Hayavadana*, the exchange of heads between Devadatta and Kapila raises philosophical questions